Heat exchanger assembly and method of locking same

Abstract

A heat exchanger assembly is provided. The heat exchanger assembly comprises a core body, a plate fixedly coupled to the core body, the plate defining an aperture therein, and a tank having a foot thereon, wherein under the condition that the plate and the tank are coupled to one another, the aperture functionally engages the foot. The plate sidewall comprises the aperture and further comprises a crimping member in a distal end of the sidewall. The foot further comprises a securing surface and an engagement surface, the engagement surface being configured to engage the aperture and the crimping member being configured to be bent about the foot to engage the securing surface. A sealing member is placed between the tank and the plate to fluidicly seal the tank and the plate once coupled together. Such a configuration provides two means of coupling the plate to the tank.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat exchanger assembly comprising:
 a core body;   a plate fixedly coupled to the core body, the plate defining an aperture therein; and   a tank having a foot thereon,   wherein under the condition that the plate and the tank are coupled to one another, the aperture functionally engages the foot.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plate further comprises a plate sidewall, the aperture being defined in the plate sidewall. 
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the tank further comprises a tank sidewall, the tank sidewall having the foot on a distal end thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the aperture further comprises a locking surface, the locking surface being configured to functionally engage the foot. 
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the foot further comprises an engagement surface, the engagement surface being configured to functionally engage the aperture. 
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the aperture further comprises a locking surface and the foot further comprises an engagement surface, wherein the locking surface and the engagement surface have cooperating shapes and are configured to engage one another. 
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the plate sidewall further comprises a crimping member in a distal end thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the foot further comprises a securing surface and an engagement surface, the engagement surface being configured to engage the aperture and the crimping member being configured to be bent about the foot to engage the securing surface. 
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a sealing member, the foot being configured to engage the sealing member within a socket portion of the plate to fluidicly seal the plate and the tank. 
     
     
         10 . A heat exchanger assembly comprising:
 a core body;   a plate fixedly coupled to the core body;   a tank;   first means for coupling the plate and the tank to one another; and   second means for coupling the plate and the tank to one another.   
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the first means further comprises:
 a crimping member in a distal end of a sidewall of the plate; and   a securing surface on a foot of the tank,   the crimping member being configured to bend about the foot such that the crimping member and the securing surface functionally engage one another to secure the tank to the plate.   
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the second means further comprises:
 an aperture in a sidewall of the plate, the aperture defining a locking surface having a first shape; and   an engagement surface on a foot of the tank, the engagement surface having a second shape,   the first and second shapes being configured to correspond to one another such that the locking surface and the engagement surface functionally engage one another to secure the tank to the plate.   
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger assembly of  claim 10 , further comprising a sealing member, wherein the sealing member is configured to fluidicly seal the tank and the plate to one another under the condition the tank and the plate are coupled to one another. 
     
     
         14 . A method of producing a heat exchanger, the method comprising:
 providing a plate having an aperture therein;   providing a tank having an engagement surface;   coupling the plate and the tank to one another by functionally engaging the engagement surface and the aperture.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the aperture is defined in a sidewall of the plate. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the aperture further comprises a locking surface. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the locking surface has a first shape and the engagement surface has a second shape that cooperates with the first shape to lock the plate and the tank to one another. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the tank further comprises a tank sidewall having a foot extending from a distal end thereof, the foot having the engagement surface thereon. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the foot further comprises a locking surface, and wherein the coupling the plate and the tank to one another further comprises bending a portion of a sidewall of the plate about the foot to functionally engage an interior surface of the plate sidewall with the locking surface. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising securing a sealing member between the tank and the plate.